Drying apparatus.



G. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

6-. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-16, l9l5- I 1,172,576. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

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G. H. BENJAMIN.

DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1915.

Patented Feb 22,1916

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DRYING APPARATUS.

\ APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

1 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I UNiTED s'rAtrEs P TENT OFFICE.)

enoncn mnnAnn BENJAMIN, or new YORK, 11. Y.

DRYING ArrAnA'rus.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, Gnoncn HrnLAnD BENJAMIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York' city, in the county and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Drying Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatusadapted for drying articles of vegetable, animal and mineral origin.

The object of. my invention is the construction of-a and from which theymay be readily removed without involving expensive handling, and when insaid device, subjected to the uniform action of large volumes of heatedair for the purpose ofremoving moisture, or otherwise acting upon saidbodies to produceresults as desired. a

In a former application for patent, to wit, SerialNo. 854,598 filedAugust 1st, 1914, I have described a drying apparatus consistingof a"series of cells containing trays upon which the materials to be driedare placed, a hot air inlet flue, an outlet flue, and a flue arranged inproximity to the cells provided with a series of dampers which may bemoved mechanically to vary the vertical depth of the air currentsthrough the cells.

My present application involves the same general idea, modified in thatthe cells, instead of being separated,- are combined and arranged to begiven a circulatory movement as regards the incoming heatedaxr currents.which air currents, as in my former application, are arranged to' beintroduced at different 1 levels at successive periods, through thecombined cells.

The particular advantage of the present arrangement over that describedin my former application. is that by combining .the cells, the capacityof-the apparatus for a definite floorspace, is increased, is made moreefiective, and more rapid drying is brought about owm to the relativemovement of the materia and the incomin air currents, and further, inthat the mo ified d v c p m t of. the a tomatic feeding-of Speclieationof Letters Patent. Application filed March 18,1915. Serial Ho. 14,665.

only such as standing of struction and their relation") will serve toillustrate my invention,in which: device into which the articles to bedried can be conveniently introduced,

taken on the line II'-.H of Fig.1.

'tion illustratin .in Figs. :1 and'.2.

.VIIIVIII of Fig.7. a

worm gear 7, which ,8, adapted to bedrivenv Patented Feb.-22 1916.

the material to be dried, when such material is in the form ofcossettes, grains or granules, as also the automatic discharge of'the'materials from the apparatus, thereby avoiding all'costly handling.

The accompanying drawings, which .are m a sense diagrammatic (as theyare not' intended to illustrate all the details of construction of myimproved apparatus. but

are necessary'to a clear underthe different features of consection takenon the line -I-I ofFig; 2.-

Fig. 2 is an elevation and vertical section is a vertical section taken:on the line 111- II of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken onthe curvedxline IV-'-IV of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an 'elevation'and verticalsection taken on the line at the left of the figure showingthe."discharge scrapers in.--thei r lowest position. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation and partialsecthe-mechanism for collectively actuatmg' thescrapers and illustrating the scrapers in the position. which theywouldoccupy to remove a, portion of the material situated upon thedisks. Fig.

7 is an'elevatlon and vertical section taken on the lineVII--VII'of.Fig. 8 and show:

ing a modificationof the construction shown Fig. 8 is a viewcorresponding to Fig. liand taken on the line Referring first toFigs. 1to 5' inclusive, 5 indicates a shaft supported in a suitable bearing 6.At the bottom of-the shaft is a coiiperates with, a worm by. anysuitable motor 9. Locateduponand shaft so as to'i'otate with it, ,are aseries of disks 10. These d sks are formed by means of spokes 11, whichat their outer ends support a perforated plate 12. 13-14: representrespectively, the horizontal and vertical members of-an innercasing 15,which is mounted on and is moved with the disks 10. The horizontalportions of this casing are provided with a circular bearin rail-16,

'V-V of 1, the view attached to the which coacts withjthe roller bearngs .17. t0

support the casing. 1819 represent respectively, horizontal and verticalportions of an exterior casing 20, which surrounds the apparatus.

Located on the outer periphery of the vertical portion 14 of the innercasing 15, are a series of projections 21 which serve to support aseries of rings 22. The rings 22, as will hereafter be described, arestationary, and the. projections 21 serve as sup porting bearings forthese rin s, the projections 21 moving with the dlsks 10 and innercasing 15.

23 (Fig. 1) indicates aseries of air-deflectors, secured at one end tothe vertical wall 19 of the exterior casing 20, and at the other end tothe rings 22. The air deflectors 23 are shown as placed at an angle, andhave for their purpose to cause the incoming air currents to moveforward in a direction opposite to the movement of the disk, themovement of the air current being indicated by a single arrow, and themovementof the disk being indicated by double arrows, as shown inFig. 1. The air deflectors 23 have fixed positions and are of a verticalheight to close the space over the material (indicated at 24, Fig. 2) onthe disk 10, but having their bottoms stationed over the disk to permitthe material 24 to move under the air deflectors 23.

Situated at one side of the apparatus, is an air inlet duct 25, providedwith controlling dampers 26, which may be operated by a rod or othersuitable device 27.

28 indicates dampers which are pivoted in vertical walls 29 of the airinlet duct. Connected to these dampers are arms 30, links 31, and a bellcrank 32, under control of a link- 33, connected to a crank 34 securedto a shaft 35, on which is a worm gear 36 adapted to be moved by worm 37on shaft 38 connected to the source of power through pullev 39. Byrotating the'shaft 38, dampers 28 will be alternately moved to takecertain defined positions, for instance: With-the dampers in theposition shown in Fig. 2, air entering theinlet duct passes over all ofthe disks; with the dampers in the position shown in Fig. 7, at theright, incoming air passes over the upper disk; with the dampers in theposition shown at the left of Fig. 7, incoming air passes over four ofthe disks. The purpose of arranging the dampers as shown, is to changeat successive periods, the horizontal movement of the incoming aircurrents and thus provide for an even distribution of air through theapparatus.

I have not entered into a detailed description of the mechanism forcontrolling the dampers, as the same has been fully set forth in a priorapplication filed by me, to

which I have previously referred;

40 indicates an .ir outlet duct. It will be observed that the air inletduct 25 is situated at one side of the air deflectors 23, and the airoutlet duct 40 at the other side. Consequently, the air entering theapparatus will traverse a circuitous path from the air inlet duct,around the apparatus and out of the air outlet duct, as indicated by thesingle arrows. Situated in the air outlet duct 40 are dampers 41, whichmay be simultaneously operated by means of suitable levers indicated at42 (Fig. 1). By reason of the dampers 41, the pressure of air within theapparatus may be varied.

43 indicates adischarge duct shown in Fig. 1 as situated near the airinlet duct, and at the same side as the air'deflectors 23. Mounted onshafts 44 are discharge scrapers 45, which may be actuted by means ofarms 46 connected by links 47, and held in any desired position byengagement of a pin 48 with one of a series of holes formed in the link,and a hole formed in the. wall 19. The shafts 44 have their bearings atone end in the vertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20, and at theother end in the rings 22. The scrapers are shown as inclined.

In Fig. 4 the scrapers are shown in their upper or inoperative position;in Fig. 5, at the left of the. drawing, in their operative ordischarging position, and in Fig. 6, in a half-way position to scrapeoff and discharge a layer of definite thickness from the top of thematerial on the disk 10, it being within the contemplation of myinvention to either discharge the material from the disk as'a whole withthe discharging scrapersv in the lowest position, or as layers, in whichlatter case the scrapers are gradually moved down as the successivelayers are removed, It will be understood that as the disks rotate inthe direction of the double arrows, the material on the disk is broughtinto contact with the scrapers, passes over the scrapers, and out of thedischarge duct 43.

InFig. 3 is shown an apparatus for feeding the material to be dried, onto the disks.

, The device consists of vertical passages 49,

vertical wall 19 and supported at the inner end in a ring 22. Whendesired, the in clined passages 50 may be .closed by means of a valve52. Mounted on the exterior of each tube 51 is a movable tube 53'. Atthe outer end of the tubes 53 is' a gear 54, in

mesh with a gear 55 on a shaft 56, on the opposite end of which is agear 57 driven by any-suitable source of power. Formed through the bodyof each of the tubes 53, are helical slots 58. Each stationary tube 51is provided with a longitudinalslot 59.

the vertical passage 49, the valve 52 being open, will pass through theinclined passages 50 into the tubes 51, being progressively fed into thetubes by the worm 61, to be discharged through the slots 59,progressively across the disk as the helical slot 58' moves over andopens the slot 59. In order to insure an even distribution, provision ismade in Fig. 1 for a duplicate feeding apparatus, and for the reasonthat as the area of the inner periphery of the disk is less than that ofthe outer periphery of the disk, if a single feeding device were used,more material would be discharged from the inner periphery. of the diskthan from the outer periphery, but with the arrangement shown, thedelivery is equalized.

64 indicates shafts carrying plates 65, and having bearings respectivelyin the vertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20 and in the rings22-. The shafts are provided with arms 66 and a link 67 for moving them.The objectof this device is toprovide, when the device is in theoperative position shown at the right of Fig. 4, for leveling thematerial on the disk 10, as it is delivered thereon.

In treating certain materials, especially those which evolve a largeamount of moisture or gases in the drying operation, it is usual toprovide means for either drawing off the evolved gases, or injectinghighly heated air.

68 indicates pipes arranged horizontally along the outer periphery ofthe apparatus.

From these pipes 68, lead perforated pipes 69. It will be observed, onreference to Fig. 2, that these pipes are located above the disks 10;consequently, the perforated portion 1 12 of each disk is between twopipes 69, thus each pair of pipes will serve to extract moisture fromthe top and bottom of the material on the perforated disks, orapply aircurrents thereto. The pipes 69 are mounted in bearings 70 in thevertical portion 19 of the exterior casing 20, and in 'the' rings 22,

the-purpose of which arrangement is to allow ready removal of the pipes68 and 69.

In-F1g. 1 the pipes are all shown as 10- cated over that fportion of thedisk whichis farthest away om the air inlet duct and air outlet duct,and for the reason that the evolutlon of gas or other bodies is greater,at this point, or conversely, the temperature of the incoming air leasteffective.

Connected through the pipes 68 through a vertical pipe 71 and valves 72,is awacuair channe um pump 7 3, and an air pressure pump Manifestly asingle pump may be used, to be rotated in one direction when used as avacuum pump, and in the other direction when .used as an air pump.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8 the construction described is the same,with the following exception: The disk is divided into four sections orair chambers, marked for the purpose of reference, A, B, C, D, and eachdivision has an air inlet duct 25 and an air outlet duct 40, the airoutlet duct in Figs. 7 and 8 being located at the center of the d skinstead of at the periphery of the disk as in Fig. 1. In each of the airoutlet ducts is a damper 411. It will be understood that the airentering through the air inlet duct 25 will pass through the spaces A,B, C, D, respectively, and then out through the air outlet ducts 40, ascontrolled bythe dampers. In the construction shown in these figures thepipes 69 are placed in each division A, B, C, D. r

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise to thenumber of pipes 69 as shown in Figs. 1 or 8, or to their exact position,as they may be changed to suit different requirements.

In Fig. 7 the perforated plates 12 are supported at one edge onprojections 75 secured to a cylinder 76 8) projecting up from theannular base plate 77, and at the other edge by rings 78 secured to theinner periphery of the exterior casing 20, the plates 12 being providedwith rollers 79 which move over the rings 78. The vertical wall of thecylinder 76 is provided with ports,80, through which the air passingover the plates 12 finds entrance into the outlet duct 40.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the

annular base plate 77 ismounted on rollers it will be seen that theleveling plate 65 extends angularly across the active surface of therevolving plates 12, and therefore serves while leveling the material,to move the excess thereof from the center toward the periphery of theplates 12. Whereasin Fig.

I l the leveling plate extends directly across the active surface of thedisk 10, or in other.

words, one is disposed tangentially,l while the other is disposedradially. I ,l I

85-86 indicate air deflectors projecting into the air spaces, whichhave'for their object to divert the current of air inwardly.

I wish it understood that Iv may use any type of" air deflectors, placedrespectively alongthe inner and; outer periphery o'ft he &

I wish it also understood that I may place the air deflectors in anyposition which may be found convenient.

The operation of my device is as follows: The material to be treated isfed onto the disk, the disk being in motion in the direction of thedouble arrow. As it is fed on, it is leveled and moves toward theincoming air current from the air inlet duct. Manifestly, the air withwhich the material first comes in contact, is that containing thegreatest percentage of moisture, as the material is then approximatelyopposite the air outlet duct. As the disk moves, the material isgradually brought into contact withwarmer and drier air, until itreaches the air inlet. The material then passes under the air deflector23, and is again moved through the air current. eration is continueduntil the required percentage. of moisture has been removed. When thispoint is reached, the scraper opposite the inlet duct is turned down,and as the disk rotates, a certain portion of the .dried material comesin contact with the scraper and is diverted into the delivery duct; orthe scraper being wholly turned down, all of the material is scraped offand v wvhere it is desired to introduce hot air, it

may be delivered through the air delivery pump and pipes 6869.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the specific featuresof construction herein set forth, as I believe myself to be the first todescribe an apparatus consisting of a series of rotating disks on whichthe material to be dried is placed, "and in which the drying operationsare carried on during the time that the material to be dried and the aircurrents to effect the drying, are moved in opposite directions asregards each other, and where the movements may be continued for therequired length of time without changing the material to be dried fromthe position in which it is originally placed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drier, the combination of a series of horizontally arrangedsuperposed rotatable disks, a casing for said disks, means Wherebyaircurrents will move over said disks in a direction opposite to thedirection of movement of said disks, means for feeding material to betreated on to said disks, means for discharging the treated materialfrom said disks, and means for giving mo tion to said disks.

2. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatabledisks, a casing inclosing said disks, a series of air deflectors,

This opmeans for feeding material to be treated on to said disks, an airinlet duct, an air outlet duct, means in said air inlet duct for varyingthe vertical depth of the incoming air currents, means in said air exitduct for v varying the area of the duct,'a discharge duct, adjustablemeans whereby the material on the disks will be directed to thedischarge duct, and means for giving motion to the disks.

3. In a drier,the combination of a series of horizontally arrangedsuperposed rotatable disks, a series of air deflectors arranged todeflect the air forward in a direction opposite to the rotation of thedisks, a casing inclosing said disks and defiectors,- an air supplyduct, an air exit duct, means for feeding material to be treated ontothe disks, means for discharging the treated material from the disks,and means for giving rotary motion to the disks.

4. In a drier, the combination of a series of horizontally arrangedsuperposed rotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supplyduct, an air exit'duct, means for supplying additional air currents tothe space intervening between any two superposed disks, means forfeeding material to be treated on to the disks, means for dischargingthe treated material from the disks, and means for giving rotary motionto the disks.

5 In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed perforatedrotatable disks, means whereby air currents will be caused to move overand above said disks in a circular direction, and means whereby aircurrents will be caused to move through said disks in a perpendiculardirection.

6. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatabledisks, a casing 1nclosing said disks, means for causing air currents toflow over said disks and means for causing said air currents to flow ina horizontal direction and opposite to that of the rotation of thedisks, together with means for rotating the disks.

7. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatabledisks, a casing inclosing said disks, a plurality of air supply ducts, aplurality of air exit ducts, means for successively varying the verticaldepth of the incoming air currents, and means for varying the area ofthe air exit ducts.

8. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, a casinginclosing said 9. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposedrotatable disks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply ductcommunicating with the interior of said casing, means in saidair supplyduct for varying the vertical depth of the air current transmitted tothe interior of the casing, an air exit duct communicating with theinterior of said casing, a damper in said air exit duct, together withmeans for imparting motion to the disks.

10. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatabledisks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct and an air exitduct communicating with the interior of said casing, a series of airdeflectors, one arranged over each of said disks and disposed at anangle whereby the incoming air currents will pass over the surface ofthe disksbefore leaving the apparatus through the air exit duct, andmeans for imparting rotary motion to the disks.

11. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, acasing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct communicating with theinterior of said casing, means in said air supply duct for varying thevertical depth of the air current transmitted to the interior of thecasing, an air exit duct communicating with the interior of said casing,a damper in said air exit duct, a series of means over each disk forfeeding material to the disks and distributing it thereon, a series ofmeans, one over each disk, adapted to direct the treated material fromthe disk to a discharge duct, a discharge duct communicating with theinterior of the casing, together with means for imparting rotary motionto the disks.

12. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed disks, acasing inclosing said rotatable disks, an air supply duct and an airexit duct communicatin with the interior of said casing, means forfeeding the material to be treated to the disks, adischarge duct throughwhich the treated material is carried from the disks, a series of airdeflectors and a series of scrapers, said scrapers disposed to directthe treated ma- 13. In a drier, the combination of a series ofsuperposed disks, a casing inclosing said rotatable disks, an air supplyduct and an air exit duct communicating with the interior of saidcasing, means for supplying an additional air current over a portion ofeach disk, a series of air deflectors, means for feeding the material tobe treated on to the disks, means for discharging the treated materialfrom the disks, a discharge passage common to all the disks, and meansfor imparting rotary motion to the disks.

14. In a drier, the combination with a series of horizontally rotatingdisks of means for feeding material on to'the disks, said meanscomprising a tube having a longitudinal slot at the bottom, a wormconveyer working in said tube, a second tube provided with a helicalslot arranged over said first named tube, and means for giving motiontobsaid conveyer and to said second named tu e.

15. In a drier, the combination of a series of superposed rotatabledisks, a casing inclosing said disks, an air supply duct having avertical depth corresponding to that of the casing and located at oneside of the casing, an air exit duct having the same vertical depth asthe casing and placed in juxtaposition to the air inlet duct and at thesame side of the casing, means for varying the vertical depth of theincoming air currents, means whereby the incoming air currents will movecircularly over the disks from the inlet duct to the exit duct, andmeans for imparting motion to the disks in a direction opposite to thatof theincoming air currents.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE HILLARD BENJAMIN.

Witnesses:

HELEN E. KoELscH, HARRY TERHUNE.

